Thin, flat type image display apparatuses such as display apparatuses using electron emission elements, display apparatuses using plasma discharge, display apparatuses using LCD and display apparatuses using a vacuum fluorescent display are used for applications such as TV, computer terminals, advertising media and signs.
What has been a focus of attention in recent years is a wall-mounting type TV set with a screen size of 40 inches or more, and whether the screen size is 40 inches or 50 inches, one of their features is the space saving feature with the screen display section having a depth of 100 mm or less.
On the other hand, such an image display apparatus comes with a variety of peripheral devices such as an image/sound reproduction apparatus such as a speaker unit, video cassette recorder or interface apparatus such as a set top box that incorporates various input signal sources. A conventional example of such an image display apparatus and peripheral device will be explained with reference to the attached drawings.
FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of the conventional example of an image display apparatus and peripheral device viewed from the back. In the figure, an image display apparatus 100 is constructed of a plasma display, etc. and a plasma display module and electrical circuit, etc. are housed in an outer casing. A left speaker unit 101 and right speaker unit 102 are attached to the image display apparatus 100 in a detachable manner.
Signal input/output section 103 is a section for inputting/outputting an image or sound signal to/from the image display apparatus 100 and a speaker support plate 104 is a section for mounting the right and left speaker units 101 and 102 on the image display apparatus 100. The speaker support plate 104 is provided with through holes 105 and the image display apparatus 100 is provided with female threads 106 and the speaker unit 101 is provided with female threads 107. Fixing screws 108 are passed through the through holes 105 of the speaker support plate 104 and screwed into the female threads 106 provided on the image display apparatus 100 or screwed into the female threads 107 provided on the speaker unit.
Input terminals 109 are provided on the right and left speaker units 101 and 102 and input with sound signals. Sound cables 110 transmit sound signals from the image display apparatus 100 to the right and left speaker units 101 and 102. A power supply cable 111 is a cable for supplying power to the image display apparatus 100.
A video cassette recorder 112 is an apparatus for reproducing video images and sound/image signal output cables 113 are cables for transmitting sound and image signals from the video cassette recorder 112 to the image display apparatus 100. A power supply cable 114 is a cable for supplying power to the video cassette recorder 112.
Mounting the image display apparatus in such a conventional configuration on the wall requires a space to pass cables on the back and installing the image display apparatus separate from the wall for that space ends up sacrificing the intended space-saving feature, particularly in the case of a thin type image display apparatus. Moreover, the exposure to the wall surface of connection cables between the image display apparatus and other devices, for example, a video cassette recorder looks awful. In addition, when the speakers are attached or detached, the image display apparatus needs to be taken off the wall, which is problematic in terms of maintenance.
On the other hand, in the case where the image display apparatus is installed on a stand, it is also necessary to secure a space for housing various cables on the back and separate the stand from the wall surface, which sacrifices the space-saving feature again. Moreover, cables of various voltages and frequencies intertwined on the back may adversely affect the electrical circuit and even deteriorate the quality of images.
New types of recording devices and communication devices have made their debut in recent years and thin flat type image display apparatuses are expected to be further developed as terminal apparatuses for those devices in the future. However, connections between an image display apparatus and its peripheral devices will be more and more complicated in order to conform to new systems and there is also a fear of wire connection errors.
Further, a variety of peripheral devices and image display apparatuses require layouts with a functional variety to be provided and user's tastes for layouts of peripheral devices and image display apparatuses are more and more diversified.